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S.02-46

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Office of the Vice-President, Academic

MEMORANDUM

TO: John Waterhouse

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FROM: Dennis Krebs, Chair

Vice-President, Academic

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University Curricula Cttee

RE: Report for June 3/02 Senate Meeting

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DATE: May 16, 2002

.

We on the ad hoc Senate Committee to Review and Develop the Undergraduate Curricula have,

after some 16 months of discussion, drafted six recommendations, which we believe could

significantly enhance the general education of our undergraduate students. A draft of our

recommendations is attached

.

* A copy of our earlier discussion paper is also

available. ** We

request that this be put on the agenda of the Senate meeting scheduled for Monday, June 3/02.

We welcome comments and suggestions, which can be sent to univ-curric @ sfu.ca

or to any

member of the Committee. We intend to make appropriate revisions in our recommendations

and submit our final report to SCUP for approval in principle on July 17th.

Attach. (2)

PENULTIMATE REPORT OF THE AD HOC CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

.•

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May

7,

2002

I. OVERVIEW

In this report, the Ad Hoc Senate Committee to Review and Develop the Undergraduate Curricula offers

for discussion a set of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of undergraduate education at

Simon Fraser University (SFU). The Committee recommends that all SFU undergraduate students be

required to take courses specially designed to cultivate writing abilities, quantitative abilities, and breadth.

Included in the recommendations are requirements intended to ensure that students entering SFU are

adequately prepared to do university-level course-work and, if remediation is necessary, that students

obtain it before entering SFU or early in their programs. If these recommendations are accepted, they will

ifi.

FOCUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Among the many ways of improving undergraduate curricula, we focused on those designed to enhance

writing abilities, quantitative abilities, and breadth. This focus reflects a view of what Simon Fraser

graduates should carry into life beyond university; specifically, of the intellectual qualities that all SFU

undergraduates should share; of the skills and experiences that best prepare students for a successful and

fulfilling future; and of the intellectual and educational values that SFU should foster.

As educated people, all university graduates should be able to express themselves effectively in speech and

writing. Those who are not able to express themselves well will not be able to communicate ideas to

others, nor will they be able to define, develop, and understand ideas themselves. Thus, they will be at a

disadvantage in university classrooms and in the world beyond them. At SFU, students must be able to

communicate effectively in English.

All SFU graduates should be competent in the language and techniques of formal quantitative expression,

reasoning, and analysis. Educated people should be able to understand and critically evaluate

quantitatively-based arguments; they also should have the ability to formulate and to advance such

arguments themselves.

Universities should offer undergraduate students a broad education, as well as training them in a particular

academic specialty. Regardless of their specialty, all SFU graduates should be exposed to and be familiar

with the content and modes of inquiry of the sciences and applied sciences, the social sciences, and the

humanities.

There is good evidence that writing abilities, quantitative abilities and a broad liberal education are among

the qualities most valued by employers (see our web site for references). Past SFU committees consistently

have recommended that initiatives be developed to foster them (see our web site for a compendium of the

recommendations made by previous committees).

Past committees also have made recommendations pertaining to the accessibility of the undergraduate

curriculum, the efficiency of the undergraduate curriculum, the quality of undergraduate teaching, and our

responsibility to provide good guidance and mentoring to undergraduate students (see our web site). Many

of the people with whom we consulted made suggestions about ways to improve these aspects of

undergraduate education. Although these issues are important, we did not focus on them in this report

because we believe they are best addressed within the framework of the requirements we recommend.

In the end, the quality of education we provide finds its expression in the educational experiences of

individual students. Implementing general education requirements is only the first step toward enhancing

our undergraduate curricula. Within the framework of such requirements, mechanisms must be created to

inform students of the educational opportunities available to them and to enable them to gain access to the

opportunities. The success of the revisions to our undergraduate curriculum recommended in this report

will depend to a great extent on the quality of writing-intensive, quantitative-intensive, and breadth courses

we designate and develop and the quality of instruction in the courses. We cannot expect students to be

attracted to SFU because they will be required to fulfill general education requirements. Students will be

attracted to SFU because an SFU degree certifies a high quality education.

is

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3

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IV. RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATION 1: WRITING REQUIREMENT

To improve the writing abilities of students who graduate from SFU, we recommend that SFU adopt the

following requirement:

To earn a Bachelor's degree from Simon Fraser University, all students must obtain a grade of C- or higher

in a minimum of 6 credit hours of specifically designated university-level writing-intensive (W) instruction.

A minimum of 3 W credit hours must be taken at Simon Fraser University within the first 30 credit hours

of a student's undergraduate program at Simon Fraser University. Students transferring to Simon Fraser

University may transfer a maximum of 3 W credit hours. Students earning a second Bachelor's degree

must complete a minimum of 3 W credit hours at Simon Fraser University.

Before registering for a W course at Simon Fraser University, students must obtain either a final grade of

80% or higher in BC English 12 or its equivalent, or a score of 75% or higher on all sections of the

Language Placement Index (LPI) or an equivalent language placement test specifically mandated by Simon

Fraser University.

Definitions and Elaborations

By W courses, we mean specifically designated courses in which:

• Students write multiple drafts and receive feedback on each draft;

• Writing is associated with critical thinking and with problem-posing and problem solving through

assignments that require arguments;

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• Samples of writing are available for analysis involving recognition of typical structures, modes of

reasoning,

use of evidence and technical language, and modes of audience address.

Wendy Strachan and Steven Davis have described the development and assessment of a model writing-

intensive course for Philosophy 100 in "Learning to Write in Philosophy: Developing a Writing Intensive

Course".

The LPI is offered frequently and costs $40 (within BC) and $80 (other countries) to take. It is a two and a

half-hour examination. Part I assesses students' abilities to identify errors in sentence structure. Part II

assesses students' abilities to identify errors in En

g

lish usage. Part III assesses the ability to evaluate or

summarize paragraphs. Part IV requires students' to write a 300-400 word essay.

Commentary

• Because SFU grants Bachelor's degrees, SFU should accept responsibility for ensuring that the

students to whom it grants degrees have the training it certifies.

• A mechanism for selecting, developing and approving W courses will have to be created.

• Students in some fields should be able to satisfy the writing requirement by taking the courses

required in their majors.

• Some programs may want to require more than 6 units of writing-intensive instruction.

• C- is considered a satisfactory grade at SFU. The University or individual programs may want to

set a higher standard.

• Students should take W courses within their first 30 credit hours at SFU because the ability to

comprehend English and express oneself in English are foundational abilities, necessary for

success in other courses.

• Students should be required to obtain a good score on a language placement test before taking a W

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course because high school level writing abilities are prerequisite to university level writing-

intensive courses. Knowing that they will be required to take a W course at SFU should increase

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the motivation of students applying to SFU to ensure that they acquire the prerequisite writing

abilities.

With respect to ESL, SFU's current requirements are, "an applicant whose primary language is not

English, or whose previous education has been conducted in another language, must demonstrate a

command of English sufficient to meet the demands of classroom instruction, written assignments

and participation in tutorials and discussions

(p.

29, 2001/2002 Calendar)."

UBC's and UVic's writing requirements are summarized in Appendix 2.

RECOMMENDATION

2:

QUANTITATIVE REQUIREMENT

To improve the quantitative abilities of students who graduate from SFU, we recommend that SFU adopt

the following requirement:

To earn a Bachelor's degree from Simon Fraser University, all students must obtain a grade of C- or higher

in a minimum of 6 credit hours of specifically designated university-level quantitative-intensive

(Q)

instruction. A minimum of 3

Q

credit hours must be taken at Simon Fraser University within the first 30

credit hours of a student's undergraduate program at Simon Fraser University. Students transferring to

Simon Fraser University may transfer a maximum of 3

Q

credit hours. Students earning a second

Bachelor's degree must complete a minimum of 3 W credit hours at Simon Fraser University.

Before registering for a

Q

course at Simon Fraser University, students must obtain a final grade of

75%

or

higher in BC Principles of Mathematics 12 or its equivalent, or a final grade of C- or higher in Simon

Fraser University MATH 100 or 110 or equivalent, or a score of

75%

or higher on an Simon Fraser

University -approved mathematics placement test.

Definitions and Elaborations

By Q courses, we mean specifically designated courses characterized by:

• significant use of quantitative or formal logical concepts,

9

• significant exposure to quantitative/statistical reasoning and analysis,

• significant experience with formal, logical, mathematical structures and techniques,

• an opportunity for students to develop hands-on experience with specific examples.

Commentary

• Because SFU grants Bachelor's degrees, SFU should accept responsibility for ensuring that the

students to whom it grants degrees have the training it certifies.

• A mechanism for selecting, developing and approving

Q

courses will have to be created.

• Students in some fields should be able to satisfy the quantitative requirement by taking the courses

required in their majors.

• Some programs may want to require more than 6 units of quantitative-intensive instruction.

• C- is considered a satisfactory grade at SFU. The University or individual programs may want to

set a higher standard.

• Students should take

Q

courses within their first 30 credit hours at SFU because the ability to

understand and apply quantitative theory and skills are foundational abilities, necessary for

success in other courses.

• We set the minimum grade for Mathematics 12 at

75%

because this is the minimum grade set by

the Mathematics Department for entry into its calculus courses.

• An appropriate mathematics placement test will be selected or developed in consultation with

SFU's departments of Mathematics and Statistics and Actuarial Science. One possibility is to

revise SFU's current Mathematics Assessment Test. The placement test should be based on

mastery of Principles of Mathematics 11 plus some additional topics such as exponentials,

logarithms, and the elements of probability.

• SFU MATH 100 and 110 may not be counted as Q courses.

• The quantitative requirements of SFU, UBC, and UVic are compared in Appendix 3.

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RECOMMENDATION

3:

BREADTH REQUIREMENT

To ensure that all students granted SFU Bachelor's degrees are exposed to the ideas, paradigms, modes of

thought, and forms of inquiry of a range of disciplines, we recommend that SFU adopt the following

requirement:

To earn a Bachelor's degree from Simon Fraser University, all students must obtain a grade of C- or higher

in a minimum of 24 credit hours in courses outside their major program areas, as determined by their home

Departments or Schools. A minimum of 18 of these credit hours must be in "designated" breadth courses

(B). A minimum of 6 credits of designated breadth courses must deal predominantly with the subject

matter of the Humanities (B-Hum); a minimum of 6 must deal predominantly with the subject matter of the

Sciences and Applied Sciences (B-Sci), and a minimum of 6 must deal predominantly with the subject

matter of the Social Sciences (B-Soc Sci). Programs may exempt their students from the "designated"

breadth courses in their areas (Humanities, Science and Applied Sciences, or Social Sciences), while

maintaining the overall total of 24 credit hours in courses outside students' major programs.

Definitions and Elaborations

• By "designated" breadth courses, we mean courses specially designed to introduce students to the

ideas, paradigms, modes of thought and forms of inquiry of areas of study different from those

covered by their major programs. Within this context, many types of courses may qualify as a

"designated" breadth course, including, (a) "great books", "great ideas", and "masterpieces"

courses (it was suggested that "great equations" might be added to the list) (b) topical or focus

courses for non-majors (e.g., "First Nations Writers", "The History of Conflict in the Middle

East", (c) area introductions appropriate for non-majors (e.g., "Physics for Poets", "History of

Philosophy", (d) courses emphasizing an understanding of other cultures, and (e) thematically-

.

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focused interdisciplinary courses (e.g., courses dealing with issues such as war, globalization,

morality, the purposes of education, the nature of the human mind, and science and human

cultures). In our discussion paper, we offer examples of each kind of course from SFU and from

other universities.

• According to this recommendation, some programs may require 6 designated B credit hours in

each of the three areas, for a minimum total of 18 designated B credit hours; other programs may

keep the requirement for a minimum of 18 hours of desi

g

nated B credit but allow all courses to be

outside the area of the major program; still others may require only 12 designated B credit hours

divided between the two areas outside the area of the major program.

• Although most designated B courses should fit comfortably into one of the three breadth

categories (Hum, Sci, Soc Sci), there may be some designated B courses for which a double listing

is appropriate. In such cases, a student could count the course in one area or the other but not in

both.

• Although we would expect most of the designated B courses to be offered by departments in

related Faculties (e.g., most B-Sci courses would be offered by departments in the Faculties of

Science and Applied Sciences; most B-Soc Sci courses would be offered by departments in the

social sciences), departments would not be constrained from offering designated B course outside

their areas. For example, the Department of Psychology might offer a B-Sci course on the brain.

• Beyond the required designated B courses specified above, students may take any courses (B or

non-B) approved by their home program to complete their required 24 "outside" credit hours.

5

• Certain courses, though nominally outside the area of a student's major program, may not be

appropriate for breadth. For example, a course in statistics in the Psychology Department would

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not be an appropriate breadth course for a student majoring in Statistics or Actuarial Science.

Such exceptions will have to be identified by advisors in each student's major program.

• Designated breadth courses that are also classified as writing-intensive or quantitative-intensive

may be counted as meeting both requirements.

• Upper-level breadth courses may require lower-level breadth courses as prerequisites.

Commentary

The three-category classification

Universities, employ a wide array of categories for defining breadth. Virtually all classifications distinguish

among the three categories we selected. Examples are the classification system that SFU employs for

admission from high school, the classification employed for an Associate of Arts degree, the major groups

in SFU's Certificate of Liberal Arts, the categories guiding distribution requirements at UBC and UVic,

and the categories employed by universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Duke. Many classifications make

additional distinctions. As an example, in the classification employed in SFU's Certificate of Liberal Arts

program, distinctions are made in the Humanities between analysis of contemporary issues, literature, fine

and performing arts, culture and civilization, and period and place. Foundations of Social Science is

distinguished from Social and Behavioral Analysis, and Natural Science is distinguished from The Impact

of Science and Technology. Although SFU or some units within SFU may choose to make additional

distinctions, we believe the three category system is the best place to begin.

Implications for Departmental Breadth Requirements

University-wide breadth requirements may enable some departments to simplify the breadth requirements

in their major and honors programs. However, the purpose of the recommended breadth requirement is to

ensure that all students granted Bachelor's degrees from SFU obtain a broad liberal education.

Clusters of courses and course sequences

There may be educational advantages to students in taking breadth courses in coherent clusters and

sequences. We should be able to develop clusters and sequences of breadth courses at SFU organized

around common themes, some of which could be taken by students in cohorts. As an example, we might

offer a sequence of courses from Biology, Archaeology, Anthropology, and Psychology dealing with

human evolution. Or, more ambitiously, we might offer more Undergraduate Semesters like the one

developed by Mark Winston around the theme, "Nature, Environment, and Society", and/or options such as

UBC's Arts 1 and Science 1, and/or distinctive semesters or comprehensive programs like the ones

described at the end of our discussion paper, and/or course-credit experiences associated with field

placements, exchange programs, and field schools. We would expect such opportunities to be attractive to

students applying to SFU.

Interdisciplinary Studies

One of the distinguishing features of SFU is its emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. Many SFU courses

and programs are interdisciplinary in nature. Previous committees have recommended the expansion of

interdisciplinary opportunities (see the Abridged Compendium in our discussion paper). When appropriate,

breadth courses could be clustered or sequenced in ways that encourage students to integrate concepts from

different disciplines.

Topical Approaches to Breadth

We might allow students to fulfill the breadth requirement by selecting a general topic early in their

programs that they explore and elaborate over the time of their degree. As examples, a Physics major

might study the crusades; a History student might study the geology of the solar system; a Performing Arts

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student might study hunter-gatherer societies. Courses on such topics could be offered by a variety of

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departments. Such topics could be recorded in portfolios. Assistance in choosing such topics, locating and

scheduling appropriate courses, and establishing criteria for assessment would need to be developed. A set

of templates or models might be provided to incoming students, guiding but not inhibiting unduly their

construction of a portfolio. This would have implications for resources devoted to student advising.

RECOMMENDATION 4: GPA CALCULATIONS

Students are often inhibited from taking "breadth" courses by fear of lowering their GPAs.

We recommend that two GPAs be calculated and exhibited on students' transcripts: the overall cumulative

GPA (as is now done), plus a separate partial GPA for courses within each student's major program, as

determined by that program.

Commentary

If programs decided to base decisions about scholarships and other rewards on students' GPAs within their

programs, it might encourage students to increase the breadth of their educational experience.

RECOMMENDATION

5:

COURSE DEVELOPMENT

As elaborated in Appendix 1, we recommend that Simon Fraser University allocate sufficient and

appropriate resources to identify and to develop the courses necessary to implement our recommendations.

Such resources would include but not be limited to incentives for faculty to refine, to develop, and to offer

foundational and breadth courses, support and recognition for committee/task force duties, and appropriate

opportunities for faculty professional development.

RECOMMENDATION 6: COURSE AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND TIMELY

COMPLETION

We recommend the formation of a task force to investigate course availability, timely completion of

degrees, and efficient use of available resources.

Commentary

While course availability, timely completion, and related issues are beyond the mandate of this committee,

the committee believes that it has a responsibility to draw attention to these problems. The committee

received feedback from many members of the SFU community about problems of this type, and the

feasibility and implementation of some of our other recommendations will be impacted by them.

Issues that a task force might investigate include:

• the impact of course availability on completion times

• inefficient use of resources during the summer semester

• the impact of the trimester system on course scheduling

• the use of typical course sequences to guide students, and scheduling of these sequences to enable

the majority of students to graduate in a timely manner

• the impact of flexibility within programs on course availability and timely completion

• the use of Distance Education courses

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consideration of alternative teaching methodologies, such as on-line options

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the viability of programs with tiny enrolments

Previous committees that have examined the SFU undergraduate curricula, including PAC!JP (1984),

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SCIMO (1993), PCUP (1996), and CPP (1996) have made numerous recommendations concerning

ffi ?

the

accessibility and efficiency of the curricula, including most of the issues listed above (see web site).

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V. GUiDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

During the committee's discussions, a number of issues and concerns arose pertaining to the

implementation of recommendations such as those we are making. The guidelines outlined below are

intended to draw attention to issues that, if not addressed, might hamper the implementation of our

recommendations.

Allocation of Resources

The availability of adequate resources to implement our recommendations will be critical both to their

acceptance by the university community and to their success in meeting their educational goals. Faculty

will be understandably resistant to the changes we are recommending if the changes are seen as robbing

scarce funding from already under-funded programs. Some of our recommendations would be relatively

inexpensive to implement (e.g., the modified GPA calculations and the designation of existing courses as

W, Q, or B); others would require significant new resources (e.

a

., the development of new W and B

courses). We have not regarded it as part of our mandate to explore budget issues in detail. Nevertheless,

we believe that a balanced approach to implementation is necessary. It will be critical to implement these

proposals in a graduated manner, as adequate resources for each part become available.

The Formation of Committees or Task Forces

Committees or Task Forces will have to be created to identify, develop, and label writing-intensive,

quantitative-intensive, and breadth courses, to specify the particulars of calendar entries, (such calendar

entries would, of course, have to be approved by Senate), to ensure that the SFU community is apprised of

the changes, and to evaluate and assess the elements of the curriculum that are developed and implemented.

We envision the implementation process being guided by a 3 year plan in which courses are designed,

assessed, refined, and offered as prototypes. See Appendix 1 for some of the issues that we believe

implementation committees should consider.

Academic Advising

The need to provide students with clear advice and guidance in completing their degree requirements

cannot be underestimated, particularly during periods of change. The provision of adequate academic

advising and information through a variety of media—i.e., face to face sessions, orientation meetings and

other presentations, written materials, web-based information and peer counseling—are necessary to ensure

that students complete their programs in a timely manner and that the University has the resources in place

to meet the challenge.

Communication with other Educational Institutions

Members of the University community, other post secondary institutions and high schools will have to be

informed about changes in requirements. Transfer credit will have to be determined.

Remedial services

Currently, SFU offers remedial assistance in writing to ESL students through the English Bridge Program

and remedial assistance in mathematics through several mathematics courses. Continuing Studies might

decide to develop remedial courses in English and Mathematics. As a principle, we believe all remedial

services should be offered on a cost-recovery basis.

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Appendix 1

Suggestions for Implementation

1.

Communication and Consultation

If our recommendations are accepted, the university community should be encouraged to become involved in making the

changes necessary to implement them. Regular information updates and events to involve members of the community in the

process will be needed. Communication and consultation mechanisms could include: (a) discussion forums via e-mail, (b) open

face-to-face sessions, (c) surveys, (d) newsletters, (e) updates published in SFU News, and (f) brown bag presentations.

2.

Development of Courses and Implementation of Recommendations

To anticipate and to address potential problems with the development of foundational and breadth courses and the

implementation of our recommendations, we suggest that task forces consider undertaking the following:

•

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Evaluate existing Language Placement and Mathematics Placement tests and if necessary provide assistance for the

development of new assessment tools;

•

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Undertake an evaluation of similar curriculum models at other post-secondary institutions to adapt best practices and

to avoid pitfalls;

•

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In consultation with Faculties, Schools, Departments and Programs, develop criteria for the identification and

development of W, Q, and B courses, considering successful formats developed and in use at SFU and other post-

secondary institutions;

•

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Meet with Departments/Programs to discuss criteria for W, Q, and B courses and to offer assistance in identifying,

certifying and labeling existing SFU courses in accordance with the criteria;

• Undertake an estimate of the number of new W, Q, and B courses that will be needed and the cost of developing and

offering them. A draft of a proposal for the development of writing-intensive courses, with projected costs, developed

by Wendy Strachan, Steven Davis and Dennis Krebs is available from krebs@sfu.ca

.

3.

Formation of Curriculum Groups

Faculty, TAs and staff involved in the implementation of the recommendations might meet in groups to share their experiences

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and to develop procedures for spreading the word.

4.

Selection of Experts and Advocates of the Curriculum Recommendations

To expedite the implementation of the recommendations, a core group of "early adopters" and advocates could be identified

within the university community. This will provide the curriculum initiative with an identity as well as an impetus to move

forward and to succeed. Advocates will need time and resources to dedicate themselves to the curriculum change process.

Involvement in the curriculum change and implementation process should be seen as a career opportunity and should not

constrain career progression.

5.

Role of Special University Units and Staff

We would expect groups such as the Learning and Instructional Development Centre, the Centre for Writing-Intensive Learning,

the English Bridge Program, the Mathematics Department, the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, and Academic

Advisors to be involved in the implementation process.

6.

Resources and Training

Faculty and TAs involved in the development of new courses, especially W courses, may require resources and training. Some

suggestions are (a) workshops, (b) seminars, (c) summer institutes, i.e., on writing, (d) time and assistance with pre-course

planning in the semester before courses are offered, followed by ongoing refresher or advanced sessions, (e) ongoing mentoring

and in-course consultation during the first semester of offering, (f) peer training/mentoring, and (g) help desks.

7.

Recognition and Reward

The efforts of those who contribute to the curriculum change process should be recognized appropriately. Recognition and

reward might include: (a) administrative support, (b) teaching reductions, (c) professional allowances/opportunities, and/or (d)

credit towards merit increments in salary.

8.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment and evaluation of the courses and programs implemented as a result of our recommendations is an essential

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component of the change process. Such assessments should be part of a continuing cycle of review, quality control and

improvement.

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9.

Transfer and Articulation

implications

High schools

for

and

admission

post-secondary

and transfer.

institutions

Courses

will

will

need

have

to be

to

apprised

be articulated.

of targeted changes in SFU curricula that have

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is

10.

Funding

In order to help defray some of the costs of the recommendations, additional sources of funding should be sought, including

grants and fund-raising initiatives.

Appendix

2

UBC and UVic Writing Requirements

1. English Language

Admission Standard

UBC:

"all applicants, regardless of country of origin or of citizenship status will be required to demonstrate competence in the English

language prior to admission. Competence is expected in all four of the following skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. (p.

26)"

"applicants may demonstrate English language competence by one of the following"

1.

4 years of full-time education in English

2.

A grade of 70% or better on the provincial examination portion of BC English 12 or equivalent

3.

4 years of full-time instruction in a school in which the level of English proficiency is equivalent to that in BC Grade 12.

4.

A specified grade on an English language proficiency test (e.g., TOEFL)

5.

Six credits of post-secondary V year English for which UBC gives transfer credit

6.

Graduation from a recognized degree program in which English is the primary language in a country where English is the

principle language.

UVIC: "The University requires that applicants whose first language is not English submit proof of English proficiency." (p. 16)

Options similar to UBC's 1,4,6, (above) plus:

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a grade of 86% or higher on English 12 or its equivalent from other provinces

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successful completion of the UVIC Admission Preparation Course

2.

English requirement

USC is currently considering a proposal to implement the requirement that all students take two writing-intensive courses.

Current UBC requirements are: "All programs require at least three credits of first-year English; most require six credits."

UVIC: "All undergraduate students.. . must complete

1.5

units of first-year English" (p. 18). Students who meet the following criteria

may be exempted:

1.

a score of 86% or higher on BC or Ontario Provincial English examination

2.

a mark on the Uvic English Placement Essay indicating the student has the skills taught in English 115.

3.

a score of Level 6on the LPl

4.

a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement Exam in English

5.

1.5 or more units of transfer credit for university level English courses

6.

admission on a letter of permission

Uvic time to complete First year English Requirement

"Students who fail to complete the requirement before completing 30 units of credit must meet the requirement in the next session

they attend. Students who fail to do so will not be permitted to register

(p.

19)."

3. Placement Exam

USC:

"Before enrolling in any first-year English course, Arts One, the Arts Foundations Program, or Science One, students must complete

the LPI and achieve a minimum score of level

5

(30/40) on the essay section of the examination."

Students who fail to obtain a level score on the essay section of the LPI are not permitted to register for V year English courses.

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I

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UBC offers the following exemptions from their LPI requirement:

1.

final grade of 80% in BC English 12 or BC English Literature 12

2.

grade of A (80%) in Grade 12 English (senior year) in a Canadian secondary school outside of BC...

3.

a grade of 4 or better in the Advance Placement course in literature and composition and a grade of 5 or better in the

higher level International Baccalaureate course in English Literature

4.

passing UBC's English Composition Test prior to Sept. 1992

5.

six credits of first year English or equivalent, acceptable for transfer to UBC

UVic:

Students applying to Uvic must write Uvic's English Placement Essay or take the LPI. Scores on these tests determine which English

courses students may take. Students who score low must take non-credit remedial English courses. Students are allowed four

attempts at remedial English courses, after which they are required to withdraw.

Appendix 3:

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SFU, UBC and UVic Mathematics Requirements

All SFU departments and Schools except the School of Communication and programs in the Faculties of Arts and Education require

BC MATH 12 or equivalent for admission. BC MATH 12 or equivalent is a prerequisite for required courses in several departments

in the Faculty of Arts.

MATH 12 or equivalent is required in all Faculties at UBC except the Faculties of Arts, Music, and Nursing. Some departments

within the Faculty of Arts require courses with MATH 12 or equivalent as a prerequisite. For example, Economics requires 6 credits

of first year calculus.

MATH 12 or equivalent is either required or "optimum and recommended" for all programs at UVic except English. History,

Elementary Education, Physical Education, and Fine Arts: Writing.

• ?

At all three universities, the Faculty of Business and virtually all departments in the Sciences. Applied Sciences, and Social Sciences

require students to take quantitative courses. The Faculty of Education and departments in the humanities (English. History, Fine

Arts) tend not to require quantitative courses.